Human-Wildlife-Coexistence: Navigating the New Frontier of Fertility Control (NEW)
With increasing human-wildlife interactions and escalating ecological pressures, the demand for humane and effective wildlife population management has never been greater. Traditional methods, such as culling, are increasingly seen as ethically problematic and environmentally unsustainable. Fertility control has emerged as a potential safe, effective, sustainable and publicly acceptable alternative to lethal wildlife management to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts.
This summer course will provide undergraduate and postgraduate students with a general overview of practical applications of fertility control for ethical management of wildlife and other free-living animals. As successful implementations of fertility control depend on species and contexts and on factors such as local public attitudes, costs and feasibility, lectures and practical sessions will focus on case studies to illustrate the many aspects of wildlife fertility control applications. Students will learn about products available, methods to deliver contraceptives and to evaluate their impact on reproduction and welfare of individuals and populations of free-living animals. As one of the main goals of the course is to provide students will the tools they would need if they chose to invest their future in this area, attendees will also learn practical skills such as how to write a proposal for a project on wildlife fertility control.
Through a mixture of lectures, informal discussion groups, laboratory and field practical sessions, students will be invited to embark on a fascinating journey to learn about the challenges and opportunities offered by fertility control. The course is designed to address the rising demand for innovative conservation approaches and to prepare a new generation of professionals dedicated to balancing ecological and economic needs with animal welfare.
Courses generally have little or no prerequisite knowledge required for a given topic, however if students face any doubts, we recommend they contact course professors to clarify.
| Week | Contents | Teaching/learning activities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
1. Human-Wildlife conflicts and coexistence MLB |
Lectures and practical activities
|
| 2 |
6. Contraceptive products and mode of action GM 8. Contraceptives for free-roaming cats, dogs and livestock GM 9. Methods to mark animals GM 10. Communication and presentation of results: who, what, where, how GM
|
Lectures, practical activities and groups discussion with play-role activities
|
| 3 |
11. Fertility control for rodents JJ 14. Measuring impact and cost of fertility control interventions UAB |
Lectures, practical activities and groups discussion with play-role activities |
From Monday to Friday.
From 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The evaluation process for this course on wildlife fertility control will incorporate multiple formats to assess both theoretical knowledge and practical skills acquired by the students. This dual approach aims to provide comprehensive feedback on the students' understanding and ability to apply concepts in real-world scenarios.
Evaluation Components
1. Written Assignments: Students will submit three written assignments throughout the course:
- An essay on the ethical implications of wildlife fertility control versus traditional methods.
- A project proposal for implementing a fertility control program in a specific region, focusing on a selected species.
- A reflective piece on the integration of local community perspectives in wildlife fertility control initiatives.
Deadlines:
- Essay: End of Week 1
- Project Proposal: End of Week 2
- Reflective Piece: End of Week 3
2. Practical Assessments: Each practical session will end with a brief quiz or task to assess the skills and knowledge applied during the activity. This includes hormone measurement, delivery system design, and scenario-based role-play activities.
3. Group Project: In Week 3, students will work in groups to design and present a comprehensive wildlife fertility control strategy for a hypothetical scenario. This will include stakeholder analysis, budget planning, and expected outcomes.
4. Final Examination: A comprehensive test covering all theoretical content from the course. This will include multiple-choice questions, short answers, and case studies.
Deadline: Last day of Week 3
5. Participation and Engagement: Continuous assessment of student engagement during lectures, discussions, and field visits.
Communication of Results
- The final grades will be calculated by compiling scores from all components. Each component's weight will be specified in the course handbook.
- Students will receive feedback on written assignments within one week of submission.
- Final course grades will be communicated to students via email one day before the end of the course period, with a copy to summer@uab.cat.
1. Wildlife Ethics: The Ethics of Wildlife Management and Conservation
Clare Palmer, Bob Fischer, Christian Gamborg, Jordan Hampton, Peter Sandoe
ISBN: 978-1-119-61126-4. August 2023. Wiley-Blackwell. 304 pages
2. Fertility Control for Wildlife: A European Perspective –
Giovanna Massei
This article reviews the use of contraceptives in wildlife management across Europe, assessing their impact on reproduction and animal welfare, the methods of administration, the associated costs, and the feasibility of these approaches in various contexts. It emphasizes fertility control as a humane alternative to culling in areas where lethal methods are socially unacceptable or illegal, such as urban settings and national parks.
Animals 2023, 13(3), 428; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13030428
3. Too many wild boar? Modelling fertility control and culling to reduce wild boar numbers in isolated populations
Croft S, Franzetti B, Gill R, Massei G (2020). PLOS ONE 15(9): e0238429. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238429
Dr. Giovanna Massei is the Director of BIWFC Europe and a Professor at the University of York, with over 30 years of experience in wildlife management and 20 years specializing in fertility control research. Her work spans a wide range of species and countries, focusing on humane, non-lethal solutions to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts.
Dr. Jens Jacob leads the Rodent Research Group at the Julius Kühn-Institut, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants in Münster, Germany. His work focuses on the ecology, behavior, and population dynamics of wild rodents, the epidemiology of rodent-borne pathogens, and the development of predictive models for rodent management. With extensive national and international collaborations, he aims to support effective, risk-conscious rodent control strategies to benefit public health, agriculture, and biodiversity.
Dr. Manel López-Bejar is a professor and researcher at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, specializing in animal reproductive physiology, endocrinology, and welfare. Currently serving as Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, he has published extensively, led numerous research projects, and held prominent academic and advisory roles both nationally and internationally. His work has significantly advanced veterinary medicine, particularly in reproductive biosciences and animal welfare.
Additional information
In collaboration with Botstiber Institute